Environment Ministry releases new categorization of industries

• The Government has released a new categorization of industries based on their pollution load.
• The old system of categorization was creating problems for many industries and was not reflecting the pollution of the industries. The new categories will remove this lacuna and will give clear picture to everyone.
• The new category is created in the form of White industries which is practically non-polluting will not require Environmental Clearance (EC) and Consent and will help in getting finance from lending institutions.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has developed the criteria of categorization of industrial sectors based on the Pollution Index which is a function of the emissions (air pollutants), effluents (water pollutants), hazardous wastes generated and consumption of resources. These categories are:

1. Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 60 and above – Red category
2. Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 41 to 59 – Orange category
3. Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 21 to 40 – Green category
4. Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score incl. & upto 20 – White category

• No Red category of industries shall normally be permitted in the ecologically fragile area / protected area.
• The newly introduced White category of industries pertains to those industrial sectors which are practically non-polluting, such as Biscuit trays etc. from rolled PVC sheet (using automatic vacuum forming machines), Cotton and woolen hosiers making (Dry process only without any dying/washing operation), Electric lamp (bulb) and CFL manufacturing by assembling only, Scientific and mathematical instrument manufacturing, Solar power generation through photovoltaic cell, wind power and mini hydel power (less than 25 MW).

Analysis:

• The purpose of the categorization is to ensure that the industry is established in a manner which is consistent with the environmental objectives.
• The new criteria will prompt industrial sectors willing to adopt cleaner technologies, ultimately resulting in generation of fewer pollutants. Another feature of the new categorization system lies in facilitating self-assessment by industries as the subjectivity of earlier assessment has been eliminated.
• This ‘Re-categorization’ is a part of the efforts, policies and objective of present government to create a clean & transparent working environment in the country and promote the Ease of Doing Business
• Due importance has been given to relative pollution potential of the industrial sectors based on scientific criteria.
   

By: Vishal